Simple Cooking for all - nothing fancy, just good, honest food with no additives or preservatives!

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Smoked Salmon Butter Terrine

As Christmas nears, people tend to start eating fancier things they would never consider during the rest of the year. One of the things i like to do, is buffet suppers. Just some crackers, melba toast, cheese, a little salad & cold cuts, and this brilliantly simple terrine.

Upside to this recipe? It takes minutes to prepare, and doesn't need to be cooked at all. The only downside to this recipe is that it's so delicious, it won't last long! Oh well, i suppose it gives you an excuse to make another one!

Open one of the packs of smoked salmon, and unceremoniously chuck it into the food processor. Set the speed as high as it'll go and turn it on, blitzing it until it looks like it does below.

At this point, add the 50g of softened butter, and the herbs (if you wish). I've used parsley, but chvies and dill work equally well - it's entirely up to you what to add. Also add the lemon juice at this stage. I generally use two capfuls, enough to give it a nice tangy edge, but not enough to overpower it. As with the herbs, it's optional!

Blend again to a smooth consistency...

...and then add the double cream.

That's it! From this point onwards it's just packaging, you could keep that in the fridge for putting onto canapés if you like.

Take your glass bowl and line it with clingfilm. It's a little fiddly because it seems to dislike sitting at right angles - don't worry about creases though, as long as it's not too creased.

Open the other pack of smoked salmon and line the bowl with it. Again, you don't need to worry about uneven edges - it'll all work out fine.

Fill the mould with the salmon butter...

...and fold over the overhanging salmon, using any leftover salmon from the pack to seal the top. Fold over the clingfilm and press down lightly. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Once it's set, you can turn it out onto a serving plate. Do this by opening up the clingfilm, putting a plate over the terrine and turning the mould upside down. If the mould stays where it is, give it a little tug on the clingfilm to coax it out and onto the plate. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

If you're preparing this in advance of a party, be aware that you'll need to re-cover the plate with clingfilm, trying not to deform the moulded terrine. This will stop the smoked salmon on the outside from drying out - you want to keep it moist.

Once made, this will keep in the fridge for a maximum of THREE days. Any leftover after that point should be thrown away. Fish is the one thing i take absolutely no chance with when it comes to expiry dates - the risk is too great!